UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY WASHINGTON, D.C. 20460 

### MAY 25 

## 2011

OFFICE OF CHEMICAL SAFETY AND POLLUTION PREVENTION MEMORANDUM


### SUBJECT:
FROM: BEAD Chemical Profile for Registration Review: Fipronil

### ~~ (pC Code: 129121)

### ~ 

# V'
David Brassard, Senior Entomologist

# ~

# 9 Economic Analysis Branch
. Sepebr Haddad, Environmental Protection Specialist

# ~**~~** _. , Science Information and Analysis

## Bran~h /

## ~ "-

THRU:



### TO: Elizabeth Hill, Economist Biological Analysis Branch Biological 

### and Economic Analysis Division (7503P) Arnet Jones, Chief 

# f)..
. ..

# 1V'>

# ~ BiologicalAnaI)'Sis Branch 

# If"""'" 

# U
. :;P'(' Diann Sims, Chief

# .#~r 

# .. fY\¥ Science Information and Analysis Branch Timothy Kiely, Chief 

# Q:**'V\A.J~!** Economic Analysis Branch**Biolo~cal** and Economic Analys Division ( 3P) Susan Bartow, Chemical Review Manager Risk Management and Implementation Division Branch 4 Pesticide Re-Evaluation Division (7508P) Product Review Panel Review Date 5-18-11 

### Summary Attached is the Biological and Economic Analysis Division (BEAD) Chemical Profile

-for Registration Review for the chemical fipronil. The purpose ofthis document is to convey usage information and a broad overview ofthe pest managementroles

- ofpesticides that are beginning

1Registration Review. The intended audience for this document is theOPP registration review team and the general public.
INTRODUCTION The purpose ofthis document is to convey usage information and a broad overvjew ofthepest management roles ofpesticides that are beginning Registration Review. The intended audiences for**thi~** document are the OPP registration reviewteam and the general public. This document builds upon the data already provided in the "Usage and Label Use Data Packages" that are also provided to Registration Review teams bythe Biological and Economic Analysis Division (BEAD). Fipronil is a phenylpyrazole insecticide used to control ants, beetles, cockroaches, fleas, mole crickets, ticks, termites, thrips, and other insects. Fipronil blocks gamma amino butyric acid (GABA) regulated chloride channels in
. the central nervous system resulting in excess neuronal stimulation and death ofthe target insect. Fipronil is a moderately systemic insecticide thatis toxic to insects by contactor ingestion. 

### USE SITES . Agricultural Use Sites Fipronil is registered for use onpotatoes. The use on com was cancelled in 2009" but sales by the registrant ofexisting stocks offipronil products withpreviously approved labeling was allowed to continue until May 15, 2011. Persons other than the registrant may continue to . sell or distribute existing stocks offipronil products until such stocks are exhausted, Non-Agricultural Use Sites Fipronil is registered for use in fue ant baits, coqkroach baits and gels, spot treatment flea and tick control products for dogs and cats, antbaits and gels, termite control products, and fue ant control on ornamental turf, and pine bark aphid andNantucketpine tip moth onpine tree seedlings. Fipronil is also registered for use in baitboxes to 

### kill Ixodes ticks on white footed deer mice which vector Lyme disease. Fipronil was formerly registered for use by homeowners to ' control fue ants butthis use has been voluntarily cancelled bythe registrant.

COMMON FORMULATIONS AND APPLICATION METHODS Fipronil is ll:sually formulated as dust, granules, pelleted/tableted, wettable powder, impregnated material, water dispersible granules, emulsifiable concentrate, flowable concentrate, soluble concentrate·or soluble ready-to-use.



### 2

### FIPRONIL USAGE Agricultural Usage Based on private marketpesticide usage data from 1998-2008, 

### usage averaged approximately 150,000 

### pounds active ingredient for 1.5 

### million acres (proprietary Data, 1998-2008). 

### Figure 1 

### presents the acres treated with fipronil over this time period. FIGURE 1 Flpronil Acres Treated 3,000,000

Acres



### o 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 Year 

### Source: Proprietary Data, 1998-2008
. From 1998-2008, 

### the largest market interms oftotal pounds ofactive ingredient applied was com (more than 99%). 

### There was less than 1 % 

### total use on the other two agricultural crops (potatoes and sweet com) (proprietary Data, 1998-2008). 

### Com was also the highest interms of total acres treated. There was no reported use offipronil onpotatoes until the year 2008 

### when less than 2000 

### lbs. AI were applied. The states with the most agricultural usage interms ofPounds A.I. applied are: Nebraska (34%), 

### Illinois (11 %),
.

### Indiana
.(9%), 

### followed by Iowa and Minnesotawith 8% 

### each as shown in**Fi~e** 2 

### (proprietary Data, 1998-2008). 

### Figure 3 shows the use offipronil between 2006-2008 

### inthe top states for potatoes and com.

### FIGURE 2
States with Highest Use - Percent ofTotal Lbs. A.I. Applied

OTHER
4% SOUTH DAKOTA 5%

6%

8%
8% 9%


### Source: ProprietaryData, 1998-2008 FIGURE 3. Fipronil Use on Potatoes in Pounds Active**Inlre~ient**2006-2008 NEBRASKA 6%



### Source: Proprietary Data, 2006-2008 Non-Agricultural Usage 34%

11%

Fipronil Use onCorn in Pounds Active IJllridlent

MISSOURI

10% 2006-2008



### In terms ofnon-agricultural usage, there was**availabl~** usage by lawn care operators and pest col).trol operators, and for uses such as golfcourses, and food handling establishments, in

### addition to consumers for indoor use. Generally, over the reported years (1999 through 2008),

. the majority ofuse- was by consumers for indoor use. Consumers used 4,000 pounds AI in 2000, and in2003. Pest Control operators used approximately 200,000 pounds AI in 2000, and approximately 400,000 pounds AI in 2003
. . Lawn Care Operators used approximately 33,000 pounds AI in 2002, butuse decreased in2004 and 2006 to under 200 pounds AI, and 100 pounds AI respectively, Foodhandling establishments were reported to have used approximately 16,000 pounds AI in 2005. (Kline and Co., Inc. 2000-2005). USE TRENDS Fipronil use on com overthe 1998-2008 time periodpeaked in2002 and has steadily decreased to the lowest reported level in 2008. However, during the same time period, the only year for which use offipronil on potatoes was reported is 2008, and usage accounted for approximately 6% oftotal agricultural use during that**y~ar.** 

### BIOLOGICAL ASPECTS RELEVANT TO FIPRONIL Fipronil's registration for use inbaitboxes to kill Lyme disease bearing ticks on white footed mice is quite unique and there appears to be no alternatives for this use.
mSTORY OFBEAD ASSESSMENTS FORFIPRONIL There have been multiple emergency exemption (Section 18) requests for the use offipronil that have been reviewed by BEAD
. These requests were for outside structures, potatoes, C:lI1d sweet potatoes. For a complete list ofthese requests, please see Table A-I inAppendix A. 

### In addition, BEAD conducted two benefits assessments for fipronil 

### in 2008 inresponse to the end ofconditional registrations for field com and fire ant control on

### turfgrass. BEAD concluded inthe field com assessmentthatthe overall benefits ofthe use offipronil on field com are generally minor, altho.ugh niche uses existed for treating comrootworms inNebraska and Kansas (DP# 357367). (Brassard, 2008) 

### Inthe fire ant assessment, BEAD found that although granular fipronil is rather unique 

### inthata single application will provide year-long control and most alternatives mayrequire two applications per year, there are numerous alternatives and application methods available for fire ant control (DP# 357351). BEAD provided a follow-up review to . BASF comments on this benefits assessment in 2009, and supported the same determination arrived at inits 2008 assessment (DP#s 368645, 368646, 368648, 368650, 368652, 368654, 368656,368658, and 368660).
DATA NEEDS RELEVANT TO BEAD'S FUTURE WORK ON FIPRONIL Obtaining additional information onthe following items would improve future BEAD assessments ofthe importance offipronil and may be required as part ofthe registration review ofthis pesticide.


### 5REFERENCES Brassard, D.W. and E. Hill. 2008. Assessment ofthe**~enefits** ofFipronil to· Producers ofField

·Com (DP# 357367) Chiri 2008 Fire Ant EPA. 201.0. Section 18 Actions. AccessedNovember 23,2010 Online; http://cfpub1.epa.gov/oppref/section18/search.cfm Proprietary Data, 1998-2008 Proprietary Data Kline and Co, Inc. (1999-2008) APPENDIXA: 

### T bl Al 

### HO t

a e 

# - . IS ory 0 

# . fS ti 

### 18 R t**~** 

### FO ec 

### on eques s 

### or Ipronil**~ved** Response

- Site Pest
. Applicant Date :pate COTION LYGUSBUGS ARIZONA 6/30/1999 1012111999 COTION TARN. PLANT MISSISSIPPI 4/14/1999 7/211999 BUG FERAL VARROAMITE HAWAII 11712009 li7/2009 BEEHIVES GRASS, GRAsSHOPPERS WYOMING 2/11/1999 5/24/1999 RANGELAND ONION ONION, DRY MAGGOT AND OREGON 312212007 5/3/2007 BULB SEED CORN MAGGOT

. OUTSIDE

STRUCTURES CARIBBEAN TEXAS
. 6127/2008 6/2712008 10
.FTOUT CRAZY ANT AND3FTUP OUTSIDE STRUCTURES CARIBBEAN TEXAS 7/16/2008 10/2112009 10 FT OUT CRAZY ANT AND3FTUP POTATO WIREWORMS DELAWARE 1/13/2004 4/2812004 POTATO WIREWORMS MARYLAND 1120/2004 4/8/2004 POTATO WIREWORMS NEW JERSEY 2/19/2004 4/28/2004 POTATO WIREWORMS PENNSYL VANlA 1/16/2004 4/8/2004 POTATO WIREWORMS VIRGINIA 21212004 4128/2004 RICE WEEVIL .LOUISIANA 12110/1997 7/17/1998 RODENT TICKS (LYME CONNECTICUT 4/1512002 4/26/2002 DISEASE)' RODENT TICKS NEWJERSEY 4/30/2002 5/812002 RODENT TICKS NEW YORK 6/6/2002 6n12002 RODENT TICKS (LYME NEWJERSEY 5/13/2003 5/24/2003 BAIT BOXES DISEASE) RODENT l1CKS NEWJERSEY 412512003 519/2003 BAIT BOXES 

# Dr**B~Co4e(s)** Status for·BEAD**~ments,** ifCoadueed DENIED DENIED CRISIS APPROVED DENIED
WITIIDRAWN

CRISIS 358972 APPROVED

ISSUED 358972 DENIED 297949 WITIIDRAWN 298027 DENIED 299063 WITIIDRAWN 297995
. DENIED 298696 WITIIDRAWN ISSUED ISSUED ISSUED ISSUED ISSUED

6RUTABAGA CABBAGE OREGON 4/25/2005 9/30/2005 WITHDRAWN MAGGOT RUTABAGA CABBAGE OREGON 2I2I20io 4/15/2010 ISSUED MAGGOT RUTABAGA CABBAGE OREGON 21212009 3/6/2009 ISSUED MAGGOT RUTABAGA CABBAGE OREGON 2/15/2008 4/1012008 ISSUED MAGGOT RUTABAGA CABBAGE OREGON 5/l/2oo7 5/1/2007 CRISIS MAGGOT APPROVED RUTABAGA CABBAGE OREGON 2/28/2007 5/412007 ISSUED MAGGOT RUTABAGA CABBAGE OREGON 5/16/2006 511512006 CRISIS MAGGOT APPROVED RUTABAGA CABBAGE OREGON 3/13/2006 9/30/2006 WITHDRAWN MAGGOT. SWEET WIDTE FRINGED POTATO BEETLE; LOUISIANA 3/312004 1112312004 WITHDRAWN 299538 WIREWORMS SWEET WIREWORMS NORTH 3/2312004 4/26/2004 · WITHDRAWN 300632 POTATO CAROLINA TURNIP CABBAGE OREGON 2/2/2009 3/6/2009 ISSUED MAGGOT TURNIP CABBAGE OREGON 2/2/2010 4/15/2010 ISSUED MAGGOT TURNIP CABBAGE OREGON 4/25/2006 9/30/2005 WlTIIDRAWN MAGGOT TURNIP CABBAGE OREGON 211512008 4/10/2008 ISSUED MAGGOT TURNIP CABBAGE OREGON 51112007 5/1/2007 CRISIS MAGGOT APPROVED TURNIP CABBAGE OREGON 2/2812007 5/4/2007 ISSUED MAGGOT TURNIP CABBAGE OREGON 3/13/2006 9/30/2006 WITHDRAWN MAGGOT TURNIP CABBAGE OREGON 5/16/2006 5/16/2006 CRISIS MAGGOT APPROVED WOOD FORMOSAN LOUISIANA 5/30/2001 5/30/2001 CRISIS TERMITES APPROVED Source: EPA (2010); BEAD OffiCIal Records.

7